Six Interests That Tell My Story: Faith, the Philippines, Mahjong, Books, Cats, and Tango

Reflections of David B. Katague, a Filipino-American Blogger Nearing 92

“A life is not measured only by the years we have lived, but also by the interests we continue to nurture, the people we touch, and the memories we carry in our hearts.”

Recently, I created a special caricature of myself surrounded by six things that have brought meaning, happiness, and fulfillment to my life. Looking at the illustration, I realized that these six interests tell a story about who I am, where I came from, what I believe, and how I continue to enjoy life as I approach my 92nd birthday.

I am David B. Katague, a Filipino-American, retired scientist, husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and longtime blogger. I have lived through World War II, earned a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical chemistry, worked in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and experienced the joys and sorrows that come with a long life.

Today, I live at The Heritage Downtown, a senior living community in Walnut Creek, California. Although I live alone following the passing of my beloved wife, Macrine, I am not lonely. I still have my memories, my family, my friends, my faith, my writing, and the interests that keep my mind and spirit engaged.

Here are the six interests represented in my caricature.

1. Catholic Faith: My Spiritual Anchor

My Catholic faith has been an important part of my life. Growing older has given me more time to reflect on the blessings I have received, the challenges I have overcome, and the people who have helped me along the way.

I do not believe that a long life is necessarily an easy life. We experience disappointments, illness, separation, and the loss of people we love. My wife Macrine and I shared more than 63 years of marriage before she passed away in August 2020. Her absence remains part of my daily life, but so do the beautiful memories of our years together.

Faith helps me accept what I cannot change and appreciate what remains.

I continue to value prayer, the teachings of the Church, and the opportunity to reflect on the meaning of life. Even when I cannot attend Mass in person, I can participate in Sunday Mass online.

At my age, I am less interested in having all the answers than I am in living with gratitude, kindness, and hope.

I believe that faith is not simply about what we profess. It is also about how we treat other people.

2. Travel and the Philippines: My Roots Will Always Be Home

I was born in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, in the Philippines. My first 26 years were spent in the country of my birth, where I grew up speaking Hiligaynon and later learned Tagalog and English.

My childhood included the difficult years of World War II. Those experiences became part of the personal history that I have carried throughout my life.

Although my education and career eventually took me to the United States, my Filipino identity never disappeared. I earned my undergraduate degree at the University of the Philippines and later traveled to Chicago to pursue my Ph.D. at the University of Illinois Medical Center.

My career brought me to different parts of America, but the Philippines remained close to my heart.

One of the most meaningful chapters of my later life was our connection to Marinduque, where Macrine and I participated in medical missions from 1999 to 2013. We also developed Chateau Du Mer, our island retreat and conference center.

Macrine often reminded me of a simple truth:

“You have not really lived if you have not touched the life of others.”

Those words continue to guide my reflections.

Today, I am proud to share Filipino history, food, traditions, and personal experiences with my readers around the world. Here at The Heritage Downtown, I am especially happy when I have an opportunity to introduce my fellow residents to Filipino culture.

My roots are in the Philippines, but my life has also been enriched by America. I am grateful to belong to both worlds. The Philippines give me roots and America give me wings. 

3. Philippine Mahjong: Friendship Around the Table

Games have always been an important part of my social life.

I have played bridge since my graduate-school days in the early 1960s. Over the decades, it has become more than a card game. Bridge challenges my memory, concentration, reasoning, and ability to work with a partner.

At The Heritage Downtown, I help organize bridge games and enjoy playing with fellow residents. I am happy that, even as I approach 92, I can still sit at a bridge table and enjoy a good game.

I have also shared another favorite pastime with my community: Philippine mahjong.

Mahjong is a tile-based game with a rich history in Asia. It requires observation, memory, strategy, and a little luck. More importantly, it brings people together.

Introducing Philippine mahjong to residents has given me another opportunity to share something from my cultural background.

I enjoy seeing people learn the game, recognize the tiles, develop strategies, and laugh together when luck does not favor them.

For me, games are not merely competitions. They are opportunities for friendship and mental engagement.

Growing older does not mean we must stop learning, playing, or sharing our skills. Sometimes, all it takes is a table, a few willing participants, and the patience to teach someone something new.

4. Books and Reading: A Lifetime of Curiosity

My interest in reading and learning began long before I became a scientist.

My academic journey took me from the University of the Philippines to graduate school in Chicago. My professional career involved chemistry, pharmaceutical science, and the evaluation of drug products. Later, my work at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave me the opportunity to contribute to the review of medicines intended to help patients.

Science taught me to ask questions, examine evidence, and distinguish reliable information from unsupported claims. Retirement did not end my curiosity.

I continue to read about science, medicine, aging, technology, history, and world affairs. I am particularly interested in artificial intelligence and how it may affect humanity.

I also use AI tools to help me research ideas and develop my blog posts. As someone who began blogging in 2009, I find it remarkable that technology now allows an older person like me to continue communicating with readers across continents.

Of course, reading and writing require effort. Computers are not always as cooperative as I would like them to be, and I occasionally need help from my children.

But I continue because writing allows me to organize my thoughts, preserve memories, and share lessons from my life.

My formal education may have ended many years ago, but my education as a human being continues.

5. Cats: Small Companions, Simple Joys

There is something comforting about the companionship of animals.

At The Heritage Downtown, two cats named Batman and Robin are part of the community's everyday life. Their presence adds a little warmth and amusement to our surroundings.

Cats have a special way of making themselves at home. They can be independent, curious, playful, and completely uninterested in our schedules. Perhaps that is part of their charm.

As we grow older, we sometimes discover that happiness comes from small things rather than grand accomplishments. A friendly greeting, a shared meal, a beautiful afternoon, or watching an animal explore its surroundings can brighten an ordinary day.

My life has included academic achievements, professional responsibilities, travel, and family milestones. But some of my happiest memories are much simpler: time spent with Macrine, conversations with friends, laughter around a game table, and the companionship of those who make a place feel like home.

The cats in my caricature remind me that joy does not always need an explanation.

Sometimes, it is enough simply to enjoy the moment.

6. Tango Dancing: A Romance That Never Really Ends

Of the six interests in my caricature, tango dancing may be the most personal.

My father taught ballroom dancing, including tango, Cha-Cha, and the jitterbug, when I was growing up in the Philippines. Dancing was therefore part of my early life.

Later, Macrine and I enjoyed dancing together. At our island retreat in Marinduque, tango became one of the activities that brought us closer.

There is something beautiful about tango. Two people move together, listening to the music, responding to each other's movements, and maintaining a connection without needing many words.

In some ways, marriage is like dancing. It requires patience, communication, trust, compromise, and the willingness to adjust when one partner changes direction.

Macrine and I shared more than six decades of marriage. We experienced happy years, difficult years, professional changes, family responsibilities, and the ordinary routines that make up a life together.

Since her passing in 2020, I can no longer hold her in my arms on a dance floor. But memories of our dancing remain.

When I see tango dancers, I remember that love does not end simply because one person is no longer physically present. The music may stop, but the memories continue.

For me, tango represents more than dancing. It represents romance, companionship, and the enduring bond between two people who shared a lifetime.

What These Six Interests Have Taught Me About Aging

Looking at my caricature, I see more than six hobbies. I see six different dimensions of a life.

My Catholic faith reminds me to be grateful. My Filipino heritage reminds me of my roots.

Mahjong and bridge remind me to keep my mind active and enjoy friendship.

Books and reading remind me that learning has no expiration date.

Cats remind me to appreciate simple pleasures.

Tango reminds me that love and memories can remain with us long after circumstances change.

None of these interests can prevent aging. I know that growing older brings physical limitations, health challenges, and changes that we cannot always control. I have had to make adjustments in my daily life, and I understand that the years ahead may bring additional challenges.

But I do not believe that aging should be defined only by what we can no longer do.

It should also be defined by what we can still enjoy, what we can still learn, and what we can still share with others.

At The Heritage Downtown, I am fortunate to live among people with different backgrounds, experiences, and talents. Every resident has a story, even if that story is not always visible to others.

I hope we will continue to discover one another's interests and abilities rather than assume that growing older means becoming less useful or less interesting.

At nearly 92, I still have stories to tell. I still have questions to ask.

And I still have reasons to wake up each morning with gratitude.

A Final Reflection

My caricature may be a playful illustration, but its six little symbols represent a serious truth about my life.

I am a Filipino-American who has been blessed with education, a meaningful career, a loving family, a wonderful marriage, friendships, and opportunities to serve others.

I have experienced war and peace, professional success and personal loss, travel and homecoming, youth and old age.

I cannot return to my childhood in Iloilo, relive my years with Macrine, or repeat every adventure that has shaped my life. But I can remember, reflect, and share what those experiences have taught me.

And that is one reason I continue to blog.

My hope is that someone reading these words, whether in the Philippines, the United States, Asia, Europe, or another part of the world, will be reminded that a fulfilling life does not require extraordinary accomplishments every day.

It requires a few things we love, people we care about, an open mind, and a grateful heart.

As I approach my 92nd birthday, I remain thankful for the opportunity to continue this journey.

Mabuhay! May we all continue to find joy, purpose, friendship, and love at every age.

AI Impressions and Notes: David B. Katague is a Filipino-American blogger, retired pharmaceutical scientist, husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and lifelong learner. He has been blogging since 2009, sharing reflections on Filipino heritage, science, aging, family, faith, and the experiences that connect us as human beings.

My Quotes of the Day:

“Be kind.  Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.”

Anonymous

 

“If you don’t like something, change it.  If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”

Maya Angelou

My Photos of the Day:

Arroz caldo is the warm chicken rice porridge that Filipinos reach for on rainy days and when they feel under the weather.

Love the Improvements in Our Always Available Menu, Here at THD  

Manila was Called Paris of Asia in 1880 and Had Telephones in 1890

Manila had TELEPHONES in 1890. Most of Europe didn’t.

First telephone line in Southeast Asia - 1890 Manila.

By 1894, Manila had 500+ telephone subscribers.

Intramuros to Escolta, Binondo to Malate, you could call across Manila.

While farmers in America still used letters, Manileños called each other.

Your great-great Lolo answered a telephone before the Eiffel Tower was even famous.

In the late 1890s, the Escolta became one of the first streets in Asia to glow with an extensive electric streetlighting system. At the time, many major European capitals were still transitioning from gas lamps making Manila’s upgrade shockingly ahead of its era

Meanwhile, Do you know that....

Intramuros, the walled city of Manila, was founded in 1571.

Spanish colonizers built this fortified city on the south bank of the Pasig River, and its thick stone walls and churches stood at the center of Spanish rule in the Philippines for more than three centuries. Much of it was destroyed during the Battle of Manila in 1945, and parts have been carefully restored since.

Today visitors can walk its cobblestone streets, tour Fort Santiago, and take a kalesa ride past centuries of history.

Lastly, UST is older than Harvard

Personal Notes: Macrine (RIP) graduated with a Bachelor of Degree in Commerce, minor in Accounting from UST. She later graduated with a Bachelor Nursing degree here in US, at Holy Name College, Oakland, CA

This posting is dedicated to my world-wide blog Readers who are Not Familiar with American Football.  

Two Minutes, a Racing Heart, and a Game That Was Not Over

A Monday Night Football reflection for my friends around the world

Tonight, I was reminded that two minutes can contain a remarkable amount of 

suspense. I was watching the San Francisco 49ers play the Washington Commanders 

on Monday Night Football. As the game approached its final two minutes, what had 

looked like a comfortable evening for San Francisco had become something much

 more uncertain. The 49ers ultimately won, 23–17, but that final score hardly conveys

 the anxiety of watching Washington threaten to  turn the game around.

For my readers around the world-especially those more familiar with soccer than 

American  football, let me explain why those closing moments were so thrilling. 

You do not need to understand every rule to appreciate the story. At its heart, 

it was about uncertainty: one team trying to protect what it had built, and another

 refusing to accept that it was beaten.

From a Comfortable Lead to an Uncomfortable Finish

For much of the evening, San Francisco appeared firmly in control. The 49ers led 20–3

 at halftime and later extended their advantage to 23–3. Christian McCaffrey scored

 two rushing touchdowns, and quarterback Brock Purdy threw a touchdown pass to

 George Kittle.

Then Washington began to answer.

Led by quarterback Jayden Daniels, the player who directs the offense and usually 

throws  its passes, the Commanders scored two second-half touchdowns. 

A twenty-point deficit  became a six-point deficit. Suddenly, San Francisco’s lead 

no longer felt like a cushion. It felt like something that might slip away.

For a soccer supporter, imagine your team controlling a match, only to concede 

late and find itself desperately defending another attack. The scoring systems are

 different, but the emotional transformation is familiar: confidence gives way to

 nervous calculation. How much time remains? Can we stop them? Surely we are

 not going to lose this now?

Why 23–17 Was Such a Dangerous Score

Here is the small amount of American football arithmetic needed to understand 

the tension: A touchdown is worth six points. A team scores one by carrying the

 ball into the opponent’s  end zone, the scoring area at either end of the field or

 completing a legal catch there. After a touchdown, the team can attempt a kick

 worth one additional point.

• A field goal, a different scoring kick through the uprights, is worth three points.

Washington was six points behind. That meant a touchdown could tie the score,

 and a  successful extra-point kick afterward could put the Commanders ahead by one. 

A field goal would not be enough.

That was the arithmetic behind the anxiety. San Francisco was still winning, but 

Washington was within one touchdown and an extra point of taking the lead.

The Moment Near the Two-Minute Mark

The decisive defensive stand came with 1 minute and 54 seconds remaining.

Washington faced a fourth-down play close to San Francisco’s end zone. Daniels 

threw a pass, but it fell incomplete. The Commanders’ immediate opportunity to

 take the lead disappeared, and possession went back to the 49ers.

To understand the importance of “fourth down,” think of American football as

 a sequence of short territorial challenges. The attacking team normally has four 

attempts, called downs,  to advance the ball at least ten yards, about nine metres. 

If it succeeds, it earns another  set of four attempts. If it uses its fourth attempt 

without gaining the required distance  or scoring, the opponent takes possession.

For a soccer-minded reader, the emotional equivalent might be a desperate 

late attack broken up inside the penalty area. It is not an exact rules comparison, 

but it captures the feeling: danger, anticipation, and then an enormous release 

of pressure. Even that was not quite the end. Washington eventually had one final play, 

but Daniels  was brought down before he could launch a desperate long pass toward

 the end zone -an attempt Americans call a “Hail Mary.” San Francisco survived.

Why Two Minutes Can Feel So Long

American football has a built-in pause near the end of each half called the “two-minute

 warning.” It is an official timeout taken when the clock reaches that point, or after an

 ongoing play finishes.

For an unfamiliar viewer, the interruption can seem puzzling. Why stop just when 

everything is becoming exciting? For me, that pause sharpened the suspense. It gave 

me time to consider everything that could still happen and everything that could 

go wrong.

A soccer supporter may be accustomed to tension building through a continuous passage 

of attacking play. American football often packages that tension differently: a brief burst

 of action, a pause, another decision, another attempt. 

Tonight, those pauses did not diminish the drama. They gave it room to breathe.

Different Footballs, the Same Human Drama

What held my attention was not simply the technical contest. It was the reversal of 

expectations.

San Francisco had built a commanding lead. Washington had fought its way back. 

The 49ers then had to do something quite different from dominating the early game: 

withstand the pressure of a possible late collapse. Their defense did enough to preserve

 the victory and keep the team unbeaten at 6–0.

There is something recognizably human in that change of circumstances. We all know 

the feeling of believing that a difficult task is nearly finished, only to discover that its 

final stage demands our full attention.

For my international readers, that is perhaps the best introduction to American football.

Begin not with every formation, penalty, or unfamiliar expression. Begin with the situation:

 one team is close to completing a comeback; the other is trying to prevent it; time is 

running out. The details may require explanation. The feeling does not.

Tonight, the 49ers won. But what I will remember is how uncertain that victory felt

 near the end and how two minutes became the most absorbing part of my evening.

Personal Notes: Both teams I have been rooting for, Having resided in 

Washington DC,  from 1990 to 2002, I have been interested with The Commanders.

 However, Having resided in The San Francisco Bay Area for more than 40 years, 

The 49ers have been my favorite Team Since the Joe Montana Era. Thus with the

 49er's win tonight made my evening a super happy One.  

Lastly, My Photo of thee Day: